The crises rocking the Kwara State All Progressives Congress, APC, appear unabated as fresh allegation of mismanaging the 2007 campaign funds involving the defunct Action Congress, AC, is being levied against the embattled Minister of Information and Culture, Alhaji Lai Mohammed.
A chieftain of the governing party in Kwara State and former Senator, Asiwaju Suleiman Ajadi described the Minister as “a legendary leopard who can never change its colour” and therefore could not be trusted with funds.
Narrating his ordeal with Mohammed as the Kwara State Action Congress (AC) governorship candidate in the 2007 General Elections, Ajadi, while briefing newsmen upon his return from a journey to Ilorin on Thursday, alleged that Alhaji Mohammed, who was then the Chairman Fund Raising Committee of the party, failed to account for the money he collected across the federation on behalf of the party.
”I was aware the then Vice President and the presidential candidate of the party, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar provided him with about 100 million naira for the gubernatorial elections. Asiwaju Ahmed Bola Tinubu the leader of the Party (AC), with other Ignomina business moguls in Lagos also contributed over 100 million naira for the election. “Thus Alh Lai Mohammed raked in something above 200 million naira altogether for that election.
"It may interest you that Alh Lai Mohammed who didn’t campaign with us even for a day sent an envelope to me as the gubernatorial candidate a day to the elections containing One million naira. All money so collected disappeared into his private pocket never accounted for to this day,” the former Senator alleged.
Going down memory lane, the former lawmaker recalled members of the defunct party’s executive that could bear him a witness to include; Prince Fagbemi, state chairman; Hon Layi Ayinde, his deputy; Hon Bolaji Edun was the secretary while Alhaji Attanda Zoro was Kwara Central Chairman.
Others mentioned are Comrade Bisi Fakayode, Chairman, Kwara South and Mohammed Duba, North, he said that all those mentioned are alive and can testify to the they had with the embattled Minister.
Threatening more revelations, Ajadi further stated it had become a normal trait for the Minister to ‘misbehave’ when put in charge of fund for party.
While responding to one of the questions on disciplinary measures that could be meted on Lai Mohammed, Ajadi said he was of the opinion that he should be expelled from the party
He therefore called on the leadership of the party at the state and national level to initiate the process of exiting Alh. Mohammed from the party, saying “nobody is bigger than the party that made him what he is today.”
Finally, Senator Ajadi called on the state governor to remain focused on his developmental strides for the betterment of the people of Kwara state.